Food service operations typically employ a number of food service devices to provide for the service of food at weddings or parties, and in institutional environments such as hospitals. In many instances, the food servings are prepared in a kitchen or elsewhere, and transported to a dining location. The servings are stored upon food service trays which can be readily heated or cooled as dictated by the dish to be served.
In food service operations, it is necessary to refrigerate many of the food items which are to be served. Ice has been placed in and around the food servings or the containers holding the food servings to be chilled. Portable ice tables which would include food trays, handles, ice recess storage compartments, and drainage ports to drain off water resulting from the melted ice have been proposed. However, the need to continuously replace the melted ice and drain the accumulated water would be cumbersome and non-aesthetic. Such tables may also include covers which would promote the refrigeration of the food servings placed upon the food trays.
Another proposed apparatus for displaying refrigerated food servings comprises a nesting bowl assembly. The proposed assembly would include a first and second bowl, the first bowl sized to nest within the second bowl. A volume of water or other such material would be deposited in the second bowl. The first bowl would then be nested within the second bowl to displace the water about the first bowl exterior surface. The bowls could then be placed in a cooler to freeze the water. Once the water is frozen, the food servings to be chilled would be placed within the first bowl. The servings would then displayed as required. As the ice melted, it would recede into the second bowl thereby reducing the total refrigerated surface area of the first bowl so that once the refrigerating capacity of the ice was exhausted, it would need to be replaced. Alternatively, the food servings could be transferred to a similar device where the water refrigerant was frozen. The inconvenience associated with renewing the ice and/or the substitution of a number of similar bowl assemblies required to refrigerate and display food servings over an extended period of time would be costly and cumbersome.
Another proposed serving device comprises a portable open-topped receptacle having a double bottom and a hinged cover. The double bottom would define a space to accommodate a temperature-maintaining fluid such as a bath of water. The device would include two concave shelves rigidly interconnected along their peripheries. The shelves' bodies would be separated to define the space which may accommodate the bath of water. The proposed food receptacle would constitute a pan with a peripheral ledge having one or more trays, dishes or other similar containers suspended from the ledge. The temperature maintaining fluid would be disposed within the space between the shelves about the suspended pan to cool the food. However, once the refrigerating capacity of the water is exhausted, the food servings would have to be transferred to additional devices having a refrigerated water bath. water bath.
Another proposed tray of rectangular configuration is said to be adapted for patient feeding in institutional settings. The tray would include a body having an upper and lower plate which define a recess portion surrounded by a chamber. The chamber purportedly would contain a heat-generating mixture which is repeatedly changeable from a solid to liquid state or from a liquid to crystalline state to produce heat. The proposed chamber would be very shallow and intended to have a relatively uniform depth. The upper and lower plates would be hermetically sealed to prevent leakage of the mixture from the chamber. Once assembled, the mixture purportedly radiates heat. When used in a hospital, the tray would be made ready for use by immersing it in a hot water bath having a temperature between 200.degree.-212.degree. F. for at least 30 minutes. During immersion, the mixture would absorb substantial amounts of heat. Thereafter, food would be stored upon the tray. As the tray cools, the mixture would emit heat during a transition temperature phase (approximately 193.degree.). Once the temperature maintaining ability of the tray would be exhausted, the food would have to be food transferred to another fresh tray to maintain its temperature, a costly and time-consuming procedure.
Another proposed thermal enclosure purportedly comprises a container having a removable cover to provide access to an interior cavity. The cover would include a frame in the inner and outer ends, and a passage extending through the frame. The frame also purportedly would include a peripheral wall and a ledge which would extend radially inwardly from the wall. An inner end wall would be positioned in the passage, supported on the ledge. An outer end wall would be affixed to the peripheral wall. Material for adding or removing heat would be provided in the passage between the end walls.
None of these proposed devices disclose an apparatus for conveniently storing, transporting, displaying and serving refrigerated foods for extended periods of time wherein the trays may be nested and a temperature maintaining refrigerant media conveniently replaced with additional like units which are cleanly and easily disposed within the device. Moreover, none of these devices disclose an apparatus which is cleanly and easily assembled for use or disassembled so that each component of the device may be stackably stored with other like components separately from the remainder of the food service device. Moreover, replenishing the temperature maintaining refrigerant media in many cases would require transfer of the food from a used storage device to a fresh storage device. Lastly, no method or mechanism is disclosed whereby the temperature maintaining refrigerant media may be interfitted in a puzzle-like fashion within a particular food service device to maximize the refrigerated surface area of the device while minimizing the space required for storing the temperature maintaining media apart from the device.